Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Eastern Europe, 1956: Comrade Inspector Ferenc Kolyeszar, who is a proletariat writer in addition to his job as a state militia homicide detective, is a man on the brink. Estranged from his wife, whom he believes is cheating on him with one of his colleagues, and frustrated by writer's block, Ferenc's attention is focused on his job. But his job is growing increasingly political, something that makes him profoundly uncomfortable.

When Ferenc is asked to look into the disappearance of a party member's wife and learns some unsavory facts about their lives, the absurdity of his position as an employee of the state is suddenly exposed. At the same time, he and his fellow militia officers are pressed into service policing a popular demonstration in the capital, one that Ferenc might rather be participating in. These two situations, coupled with an investigation into the murder of a painter that leads them to a man recently released from the camps, brings Ferenc closer to danger than ever before — from himself, from his superiors, from the capital's shadowy criminal element.

The Confession is a fantastic follow-up to Olen Steinhauer's brilliant debut, The Bridge of Sighs, and it guarantees to advance this talented writer on his way to being one of the premiere thriller writers of a generation.

Review:

"Bigger scope...than The Bridge of Sighs...Steinhauer's original and mesmerizing first mystery....[The Confession] makes readers wonder just what Steinhauer will do for the next book in the series." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

Review:

"[M]esmerizing and richly atmospheric....Though it often moves at a frustratingly slow clip, The Confession entertainingly captures the fear and frustration of a 'society of discontent with its hand on its only pistol, waiting to fire.' (Grade: B+)" Entertainment Weekly

Review:

"Good enough to suggest comparison with Graham Greene: place the author in the forefront of contemporary suspense writers, and make your mouth occasionally go dry." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"The story of a troubled homicide detective wrestling with internal and external demons is hardly new, but seldom is it presented with such depth and personal intensity....Enthusiastically recommended." Booklist (Starred Review)

Review:

"[S]imply brilliant. It is not your usual police procedural but a well-crafted mystery that mixes murder and political intrigue with the human element." Library Journal

Review:

"[A] clever reworking of the police procedural: The narrative-within-a-narrative exposes multiple levels of complicity and guilt that make this an affecting, sobering entry in one of the most inventive series around." Los Angeles Times

Review:

"A wonderfully taut tale that is part police procedural, part political thriller, part love story....Steinhauer has created a vivid world in a lost time." The Washington Post Book World

Synopsis:

A taut, commercial follow-up to Steinhauer's Edgar-nominated debut The Bridge of Sighs.

Synopsis:

Eastern Europe, 1956: Comrade Inspector Ferenc Kolyeszar, who is a proletariat writer in addition to his job as a state militia homicide detective, is a man on the brink. Estranged from his wife, whom he believes is cheating on him with one of his colleagues, and frustrated by writer's block, Ferenc's attention is focused on his job. But his job is growing increasingly political, something that makes him profoundly uncomfortable.

When Ferenc is asked to look into the disappearance of a party member's wife and learns some unsavory facts about their lives, the absurdity of his position as an employee of the state is suddenly exposed. At the same time, he and his fellow militia officers are pressed into service policing a popular demonstration in the capital, one that Ferenc might rather be participating in. These two situations, coupled with an investigation into the murder of a painter that leads them to a man recently released from the camps, brings Ferenc closer to danger than ever before-from himself, from his superiors, from the capital's shadowy criminal element.

The Confession is a fantastic follow-up to Olen Steinhauer's brilliant debut, The Bridge of Sighs, and it guarantees to advance this talented writer on his way to being one of the premiere thriller writers of a generation.

About the Author

Olen Steinhauer was inspired to write his Eastern European crime series while on a Fulbright Fellowship in Romania. His first novel, The Bridge of Sighs, was shortlisted for the Edgar Award, the Macavity Award, the Barry Award, the Anthony Award, and the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award. Raised in Texas, he currently lives in Budapest.

"Review"
by Publishers Weekly (Starred Review),
"Bigger scope...than The Bridge of Sighs...Steinhauer's original and mesmerizing first mystery....[The Confession] makes readers wonder just what Steinhauer will do for the next book in the series."

"Review"
by Entertainment Weekly,
"[M]esmerizing and richly atmospheric....Though it often moves at a frustratingly slow clip, The Confession entertainingly captures the fear and frustration of a 'society of discontent with its hand on its only pistol, waiting to fire.' (Grade: B+)"

"Review"
by Kirkus Reviews,
"Good enough to suggest comparison with Graham Greene: place the author in the forefront of contemporary suspense writers, and make your mouth occasionally go dry."

"Review"
by Booklist (Starred Review),
"The story of a troubled homicide detective wrestling with internal and external demons is hardly new, but seldom is it presented with such depth and personal intensity....Enthusiastically recommended."

"Review"
by Library Journal,
"[S]imply brilliant. It is not your usual police procedural but a well-crafted mystery that mixes murder and political intrigue with the human element."

"Review"
by Los Angeles Times,
"[A] clever reworking of the police procedural: The narrative-within-a-narrative exposes multiple levels of complicity and guilt that make this an affecting, sobering entry in one of the most inventive series around."

"Review"
by The Washington Post Book World,
"A wonderfully taut tale that is part police procedural, part political thriller, part love story....Steinhauer has created a vivid world in a lost time."

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
A taut, commercial follow-up to Steinhauer's Edgar-nominated debut The Bridge of Sighs.

"Synopsis"
by Netread,

Eastern Europe, 1956: Comrade Inspector Ferenc Kolyeszar, who is a proletariat writer in addition to his job as a state militia homicide detective, is a man on the brink. Estranged from his wife, whom he believes is cheating on him with one of his colleagues, and frustrated by writer's block, Ferenc's attention is focused on his job. But his job is growing increasingly political, something that makes him profoundly uncomfortable.

When Ferenc is asked to look into the disappearance of a party member's wife and learns some unsavory facts about their lives, the absurdity of his position as an employee of the state is suddenly exposed. At the same time, he and his fellow militia officers are pressed into service policing a popular demonstration in the capital, one that Ferenc might rather be participating in. These two situations, coupled with an investigation into the murder of a painter that leads them to a man recently released from the camps, brings Ferenc closer to danger than ever before-from himself, from his superiors, from the capital's shadowy criminal element.

The Confession is a fantastic follow-up to Olen Steinhauer's brilliant debut, The Bridge of Sighs, and it guarantees to advance this talented writer on his way to being one of the premiere thriller writers of a generation.

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and gifts — here at Powells.com.